Monday, August 13, 2012

If you're attending Gen Con, here's a map for tracking me down, which you're totally allowed to do if it's to a) have me sign a book; b) chat about Pathfinder Tales, Baldur's Gate: Expanded Edition, or one of my other projects; or b) buy me a drink.

Thursday

9
a.m.

Descriptive
Descriptions (Room 245): Bring your writing to life with vivid descriptions
that capture the imagination of your readers. Learn when to provide
two pages of rich detail and when to limit it to two lines. Discover
techniques that let you stay succinct by drawing on what your reader
knows, without leaving holes in your descriptions. Panelists:
Richard Lee Byers, Maxwell A. Drake, and Dave Gross

10
a.m.

Being
(In)human (Room 245): From talking rats to green-skinned monsters, discover
ways to make your inhuman characters resonate with the reader. Our
panelists discuss how to make the reader care about your monster
without making it any less monstrous, ways to make inhuman heroes
more than just people with fur, and tricks for getting the reader to
root for your creature characters. Panelists: Dave Gross, Richard
Lee Byers, and Elizabeth Vaughan

2
p.m.

The
Skinny on Short Fiction (Room 245): Learn to write amazing short fiction!
From tips for structuring stories so they fit into a compact package
to methods for plunging readers straight into the heart of your tale,
our panelists offer tricks of the trade that will make you a short
story master! Panelists: Kerrie Hughes, Paul Genesse, and Dave
Gross

Friday

8
a.m.

This
Means War! (Room 245): You’ve armed your heroes to the teeth, your
villains have sharpened their swords, and the armies of light and
darkness are arrayed on the field of battle! Um, now what? Our
panelists discuss techniques for bringing war to the pages of your
story. Learn how to craft epic battles that will blow reader away
while keeping the focus on the characters. Panelists: Richard Lee
Byers, Dave Gross, and Erik Scott de Bie

Noon

Pathfinder
Author Summit:Paizo's
Fiction Editor James Sutter (Death's Heretic) leads a panel of
Pathfinder Tales authors as they discuss their novels, characters,
and their process as professional authors. Guests include Dave Gross
(Prince
of Wolves, Master of Devils, Queen of Thorns),
Robin Laws (The
Worldwound Gambit, Blood of the City),
and Howard Andrew Jones (Plague
of Shadows).

1
p.m.

Signing
@ Paizo Booth #203: Bring your copy of Prince of Wolves, Master of
Devils, Winter Witch, or anything else to which Dave has
contributed, and he'll deface it with a pen.

3
p.m.

Advanced
Worldbuilding Workshop (Room 244):In
this advanced writing workshop, learn expert techniques for building
a world for your story. Limited to just 8 attendees, it’s a chance
to get personal assistance from our panelists. Dig into topics we
seldom have time for in our public panels, and get personalized help
with your trickiest world-building challenges! Panelists:
Dave Gross and Richard Lee Byers

5
p.m.

Reading (Room 244):
You’ve listened to their advice, now come listen to their works.
For one hour Dave Gross and Donald J. Bingle will transport you with
their magical prose. Panelists: Dave Gross and Donald J. Bingle

Saturday

8
a.m.

Dragons
and Dwarves and Elves, Oh My!—Fantasy Tropes (Room 245):
We love fantasy, but it’s a challenge to write in a genre so
steeped in clichés. Are you giving your reader what they want when
you fill your tales with elves, dragons, and dwarves? Or does it show
a lack of originality? Our panelists discuss when to embrace the
clichés of fantasy fiction and when to run from them. Panelists:
Dave Gross, Maxwell A. Drake, and Erik Scott de Bie

9
a.m.

Breaking
into the RPG Fiction Market (Room 245): Most of our favorite games publish
stories set in their worlds, but how can you get your own
game-related stories published? Our panelists offer expert advice on
breaking into the RPG fiction market. Hear the highs and lows of
writing game-related fiction, learn about the business side of
writing for games, and discover the best ways to get your foot in the
door. Panelists: Richard Lee Byers, Dave Gross, Erik Scott de Bie,
and James Sutter

10
a.m.

Don’t
Let Them Hear the Dice Roll—Writing RPG Fiction (Room 245): Writing
fiction for RPGs can be a tricky business. How do you capture the
spirit of the game without getting hemmed in by it? What are the
rules for playing in a shared world? And how do you write for worlds
with decades of real-world history and still get it right? Our panel
of veteran game related fiction authors have the answers! Panelists:
Dave Gross, Richard Lee Byers, Erik Scott de Bie, and James Sutter

1
p.m.

Passing
the Torch—Writing in Another Author’s Voice (Room 244):Every
author has her own voice, but what happens when you’re supposed to
write in someone else’s? From ghost writing to co-authoring to
inheriting an existing series, authors often have to write to match
another writer’s style. Learn how to stay true to your own muse
while matching the voice of another author. Panelists: Matt
Forbeck, Dave Gross, and John Helfers

3
p.m.

Signing (Paizo Booth #203): Bring your copy of Prince of Wolves, Master of
Devils, Winter Witch,or anything else to which Dave has
contributed, and he'll deface it with a pen.

Sunday

11:00
a.m.

Signing (Pelgrane Press Booth #1427): A group autograph session for The
New Hero and Shotguns v. Cthulhu. Dave has a story in the
latter anthology.